Sunday 2 October 2011

Rain Stopped Play But Not the Vis

It was the obs for Ian and I this morning and for the second day running they got the forecasted wind strength wrong. The wind was the least of our troubles as it started raining shortly after we put the nets up. This meant  a very protracted ringing session where we only ringed 5 birds (recaptures in brackets):

Wren - 1
Goldcrest - 1
Meadow Pipit - 1
Dunnock - 1
Greenfinch - 1
Robin - (1)

Even though it rained constantly once it started Meadow Pipits were still moving and we had 298 head south with Goldfinch, Alba Wag, 2 Grey Wagtails and Reed Bunting. I headed to the cemetery afterwards to see if there was anything grounded but other than a few 'ticking' Robins there was nothing doing.

Late morning news came in of  a Solitary Sandpiper found by Stuart Piner (well done Stuart) on one of my client's farms that I put into Higher Level Stewardship last year. The bird was feeding on one of the wet areas that the farmer created and manages, so I guess you can say that it is working well. I phoned Robert up to tell him that his farm was going to be the focus of a lot of attention from birders!

I have updated the ringing group totals in the panel to the right and we (Fylde RG) have ringed a very respectable 3,552 birds. Septembers mover and shakers are listed below:

1. Chaffinch - 452 (up from 5th)
2. Meadow Pipit - 363 (up from 9th)
3. Tree Sparrow - 351 (down from 1st)
4. Swallow - 330 (down from 2nd)
5. Goldfinch - 278 (down from 4th)
6. Siskin - 260 (down from 3rd)
7. Whitethroat - 191 (down from 6th)
8. Lesser Redpoll - 159 (down from 7th)
9. Willow Warbler - 141 (down from 8th)
10.Blue Tit - 128 (same position)

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